Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-01-26
A TOUGH TRIP.
That of the Yellowstone Park Elk.
petition.

| Return of MI. II. BOsse -BR ief and In
teresting Account OF the Journey
Whereabouts of Lieut.. schwatka
and Col. Bracket.
| Mr.. II. Bosse. the artist Of Maj. Nc
Kenzie's government force. who sccom>
| panied Lieut. Schwatka's expedition in
the interest of the New York World.
through Yellowstone park. returned
home this morning. The party left Rock
Island the latter part of December, those
| accompanying it from Rock Island be =
| ing the lieutenant, Col. Bracket and Mr.
Bosse. the latter going for the purpose
of sketching the ice formations. and
Lieut.. SChwatka TO write An account of
the trip for the World The ARGUS has
from time to time published whatever
tidings of the party could be obtained.
but MIR. Bosse kindly gave reporter
brief account of the entire trip this
morning.
| He left Livingston to return home on
Sunday noon, being accompanied by Mr.
| Henry Wadsw orth, of New York, who.
by the way, is cousin of w. G. Wads
worth. of Davenport, and Vice President
Ross of the Montreal snow shoe club
Lieut.. Schwa!ka was left at Mammoth
springs, where he is waiting for Col.
Bracket, who stayed behind on the re-
turn trip through the park with the team
sters aud baggage. When Col. Bracket
arrives at Mammoth springs he and the
lieutenant will come on through, arriving
home it is expected the latter part of the
week
| Mr.. Bose speaks of the trip as an ex,
ceedingly severe one. The weather was
not so cold; in fact it was not cold enough.
the lowest point the thermometer reached
being thirty>two below zero. The
trouble was with the snow. it being from
three to five feet deep, and the crust was
not hard enough to walk on with entire
safety. even with snow shoes; hence the
| progress was slow, and occasionally d
blizzard would be encountered during
which the party suffered terribly At
one time several government teams and
twenty-five cavalry men were employed
to proceed ahead and beat down a track
in order that the party could proceed with
its baggage. Finally the baggage was
taken from the teams and put on sieds
and dragged two miles, but the runners
cut through the snow so that the day fol-
lowing only mile aud half was made
The party visited Firehole or Middle
basin, Upper basin, viewing the gcysers
there, but were disappointed in the ice
formations. the only place where these
were perfect being at Norris basin The
and the weather too warm Lieut..
4 SChwatka did not 60 entirely through
the park because of having contracted a
severe cold, but rested at the springs un>
til the remainder OF the party returned.
The trip was made on snow shoes and
skis, and the snow balled badly on the
skis which are long strips of pine from
eight TO ten feet in length and three
inches wide to the centre of which the feet
are fastened. Mr. Bose says that in
walking on the snow crusts from SIX to
eight pounds of snow will soon accumu.
late and ball and it is almost impossible
under these circumstances to make any
progress The members Of the party
vino went through the park walked Isl
miles Slept in tents and camped
out. They did not feel the cold
except during blizzard, aud then suffer
ing was intense
When asked as to the report of his en-.
counter with mountain lion. Mr. Bosse
replied that he did not see any. but q
guide reported having seen one one
night At any rate, said Mr.. Bose. the
animal is not vicious-but harmless al
cat.
As far as the members Of the part,
are concerned, the trip was a success.
j though the ice formations we're dis.
appointment